Question:
I have a Martin D-18 that I use for bluegrass music. I recently replaced my worn out Medium guage Martin Strings with Light guage Martin SP Strings on recommendation of a music store employee. I have found that my previously warm and mellow sounding guitar now has an excessively bright tone. Does anyone have any recommendation for good mellow-sounding Martin strings? (I would like to keep using the Martin line of strings.) Has anyone used the Martin Bluegrass or Cryogenic string types?
Answer:
Most bluegrass pickers, myself included, find light ga. strings a bit thin and bright on a Martin dreadnought. I'd suggest going back to mediums. I've found Martin SP's, D'Addario 80/20 bronze and phosphor bronze to sound pretty good, but there are lots of others out there to try as well. I have used the Bluegrass strings.. they felt really weird to me and I couldn't get used to them. I like Bronze Marquis on my Martin, phosphors are too bright. As a matter of fact, I think they ruin the sound of my guitar.. phosphors take the aged wood sound right out of my guitars. So to speak.. On a related note, I put some Dean Markley bronze medium lights 12-54 on my Taylor 712 and the sound is incredible. I love this gauge and plan on using it from now o
Add to favorites